Never too much to learn about trademarks, branding, and the law.

What the Heck Do I Call Myself?

Selecting a business name can be more of a chore than you think it is before you really get into it. Here’s a list of thinking points that I came up with as I am currently developing a new name for my own law practice:

Availability of the domain name

If someone else is using it (check the California Secretary of State for LLC’s and corporations, check the USPTO for trademark registrations of your name idea; click “search marks” under the Trademark column)

Does the name convey the important characteristics of your company/product?

Will the name appeal to your target market?

Will the name be distinctive enough to be registrable as a trademark?

Will the name be easy to remember if someone read it?

Will the name be easy to remember if someone only heard it?

Will the name be easy to spell (and therefore easy to Google) if someone only heard it?

Your company name doesn’t have to do it all; keep in mind that you can always have a tagline with your company name (Ex – McDonalds + “I’m lovin’ it”)

In the future, it is easier to switch taglines rather than company names

This is only a list off the top of my head to help you start your brainstorming. Alternatively, you can avoid this process if you have several thousand dollars laying around and want to hire a consultant to develop a name for your company.